The Name Game: Why the next Buick will be called the Verano

Verano means “summer” in Spanish, though it could easily be a type of coffee or even a brand of crystal. But the idea behind the latest Buick was to snare an upscale, forward-sounding name to lure to new customers.

Buick could have gone with an alpha-numeric designation, or even dipped into its heritage for a storied moniker from the past. But, in line with recent marketing efforts, the execs wanted something fresher and a bit trendy.

“We consider everything,” Verano marketing manager Jennifer Nardicchio said. She was involved in choosing the name, and she said it's a surprisingly tricky process. The main criteria were finding a name that's easy to pronounce and that fit the vehicle and the brand.

As such, look for the Verano name to begin showing up in early marketing efforts ahead of the car's arrival late this year. Production launched at General Motors' Orion Township, Mich., factory in late fall, and some Veranos could be on the road by Thanksgiving. It's a 2012 model.

Buick
Verano means summer in Spanish, and Buick elected to go with a new name for the new car.

“We didn't want to just launch the car and have the name grow on it,” Nardicchio said.

The Verano will be Buick's entry-level sedan and shares underpinnings with the Chevrolet Cruze. Designers took care to distinguish the two cars, and the Buick has an upscale interior and different body style, complete with portholes and elegant touches such as the waterfall grille and blue halos that mark the headlamps.

The sedan gets a 2.4-liter Ecotec four-cylinder estimated to make 177 hp and works with a six-speed automatic. A turbo four paired with a six-speed manual or automatic transmission will be available after launch. The car will also get Intellilink, a connectivity technology.

Buick sales have been gathering momentum, and the smaller sedan is expected to help increase volume and appeal to a younger demographic. Sales have increased 51 percent this year to 18,413 units through May in the United States. Market share is also up from 1.2 percent a year ago to 1.6 percent.

Still, as Nardicchio said, “probably one of the hardest things to do on a vehicle is pick the name.”

By Greg Migliore